Seasonal marketing tactics every business should try
As the holidays roll around, consumers begin to pay extra attention to promotions. With budgets tighter than at other times during the year, many are actively looking for deals — especially in their mailboxes. In fact, one study found that direct mail influences 77% of shoppers’ purchasing decisions during the holidays.
Marketers shouldn’t overlook this opportunity for engagement. But, with so much competition, you’ll need to come up with something special to stand out. Tension products and design services can help your seasonal direct mail campaign get noticed. Here are a few tips to get started.
1. Make It Personal
Personalization is one of the things people enjoy most about direct mail. Today, marketers have a lot of options to win over audiences with content that seems like it was created just for them.
For instance, you could send a personalized thank you card to your most loyal customers or use a targeted list to share relevant offerings based on region, buying habits or other demographics. Whatever you choose, these Tension products can help:
- Continuous Forms: A staple for direct mailers, continuous forms enable the creation of high-volume, high-impact forms inserted into your direct mail piece. In addition to their streamlined production, Tension continuous forms feature expert lithographic printing, which can be customized and later personalized for the recipient. For further personalization, consider including a custom affixed card or magnet.
- Business Envelopes: Create virtually any size or style of custom envelope to help your holiday campaign stand apart — both from the crowd and your usual messaging — by incorporating seasonal colors and graphics that tie into your brand.
2. Provide an Incentive
A good incentive helps your customers stretch their holiday budgets, which makes them happy which in turn makes them want to spread the word. One study found that 51% of consumers share direct mail with friends and family, with discount coupons and promotions being the primary motivator.
Including a Tension buck slip in your direct mail package is a cost-effective way to drive customers to your website with an exclusive offer. Depending on your industry, this can be a discount at your online store, an invitation to schedule a free consultation, or some other deal to drum up excitement.
3. Plan Ahead
Map out all the major holidays and milestones — and maybe even some obscure ones — in the new year to decide which can play into your promotions. For added impact, you can take advantage of one of the United States Postal Service’s 2024 promotions to engage your audience in new ways.
A few examples to get you thinking:
- A landscaping company could create a mailer coinciding with the first day of spring. By using vibrant colors indicative of the season, they could participate in the Personalized Color Transpromo promotion.
- A clothing retailer could advertise a winter sale around Groundhog Day and include special treatments to imitate the feel of luxurious winter fabrics as part of the Tactile, Sensory, Interactive promotion.
- A dental practice could send out a mailer before Halloween and use fun, ghoulish graphics to capture attention through the Informed Delivery promotion.
Whatever holidays you choose to incorporate into your marketing plan — and however you want to do it — Tension’s custom coatings, finishes and inks can help you make a big impression.
Take the guesswork out of seasonal mailings with help from our direct mail experts and design group. Contact us today.
About Tension
A global leader in envelope, printed products, packaging and packaging automation solutions, the Tension Corporation is a privately held and operated company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Tension manufactures billions of envelopes annually and its envelope and print division serves a variety of industries, including third-party billing, financial, insurance and direct marketing. The packaging and automation division of Tension provides software, consumables, automation, and service and support for fulfillment to the e-commerce and pharmacy industries.
